BFD BlogHer Meetup Report
So, that was BlogHer! A very interesting, overwhelming experience. People were so friendly and awesome, I felt I could strike up a conversation with anyone at any time—and I did a lot of that. There were also lots of mommybloggers everywhere, so much so that it didn’t feel quite like my scene a lot of the time. Still, I talked to many people who felt exactly the same way, which made me realize that the important thing at BlogHer is to find your niche of people and carve out your own experience with them—and balance that with exploring the other niches out there.
At any rate, there didn’t seem to be much of a fatosphere presence, although I know there was last year. Not that I’m really complaining, because the BFD meetup was SO GREAT, I thought, and the size was perfect. It was nice to be in a room with a dozen people rather than a hundred people, and actually be able to have conversations with everyone present. It was way too short, though; only 45 minutes, and we had to leave in the middle of a room full of very lively conversation. We did get flashed, though, so… you know. A win.
I think I made sure to get everyone’s card (BlogHer is very big on passing out cards) but if I missed anyone, please remind me in the comments! Here’s who was there, along with me and magnificent co-hostesses Weetabix and Anne, in no particular order except the order in which I pulled their cards out of my wallet:
The magnetic J.D. Bauchery, Hot Movies for Her (link NSFW); sparkling Evany, from Evany’s Extended Cake Mix (who I first met when “BlogHer” was called “Journalcon” and there were only 50 of us and there were more dudes and fewer babies); the amazing artist and beautiful person Annie Galvin of Wexford Girl (bought two of her prints) who has already said hello in the comments; Rosemary from Creampuff Revolution, who was gracious enough to take photos, love you, thank you; the charming Gena Haskett of Out on the Stoop; Katherine of Dirt to Dish, who is going to let me stalk her in Portland; the fabulous and famous Cecily of Uppercase Woman; Skye of flooded lizard kingdom, who wandered into the wrong panel, but was nevertheless a delight to talk to; the adorable Jennifer of The Realistic Dreamer; the stunningly lovely Kay of Great Au Pair; the spectacular Corinna of A Celebration of Curves, who totally went out for sushi boat sushi with me this afternoon; my new crush Deb from Deb on the Rocks; and the one and only La Wade of Phat Science. Phew! Keep in touch, everyone! I truly loved meeting every single one of you.
The experience made me realize that we definitely need to have a local BFD meetup; maybe we can do something really casual, where we go to a restaurant or bar in the Bay Area and just chat with each other. I would love to keep the face-to-face conversations going. If you’re interested in meeting up, say, next month, let me know in the comments.
Oh, and I haven’t forgotten about the Igigi contest, which was a big success too! Pictures and a full report coming up. And if you’re totally tired of reading blogs and Twitters about BlogHer, don’t worry, I’ll post something totally unrelated totally soon.
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: BlogHer08, Feminism, Gossip, Meta, NSFW, Sex & Romance
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I’m a San Franciscan, didn’t attend the conference because I don’t write a blog, nor am I working at the moment so don’t have extra cash. I would love to meet up for a drink or lunch or coffee or dog-walking. I’m in the Mission, but can bike anywhere.
I’m up for a meet-up, but it would be lovely if it were in the East Bay.
“the important thing at BlogHer is to find your niche of people and carve out your own experience with them”
I totaly agree…
I write a blog,,
http://shopping–guide.blogspot.com/
But now i find it is hard for me to choose the topic for my blog..
Didn’t make it to BlogHer at all, but am here in the Bay Area and would love to go to a meet-up sometime.
DUDE! You went for sushi and didn’t tell me? I was dying for sushi all weekend. Harumph.
And I am totally coveting your boobs now. Seriously. Wait til you see the photo. I look like I’m gonna mash my face right in ’em.
Hiya, I have just a few photo of the meeting.
http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com/2008/07/yes-it-was-big-fat-deal-and-it-was.html
Thanks once again for letting me sitting in and learn about your blog and the other ladies.
I have more photos but they seem to be all about the making of the Mimosas. Yes, I can’t drink and take photos.
Take care.
I live in the East Bay myself, so it’s definitely a probability that it will be there. We just need a location near a BART stop for all the SF-ers.
Cecily, I know! It was a spontaneous sushi trip and you were tragically already gone.
Gena, what a cool entry and awesome photos, thank you! It was truly a delight to meet you. I’ll be reading your blog!
Wow, sounds like it was fun! I’m on the Peninsula, and would love to meet up! I couln’t go to the confernece-my SIL got married on Saturday.
Um, OK, I meant “conference.” Guess I’m still recovering from Saturday, lol!
Sounds like you have a fab time; wish I were there! Thanks for all the great blog links, too. I’ll be sure to check some of them out when I have more time.
I wish I’d been there, too. People, I am starving for details, so please make like Gena and post more writeups and photos!
Oh hey, I didn’t realize y’all were based in the Bay! And I didn’t realize that BlogHer was based here either…I totally would have gone! (I live in SF too.) Oh well, next year, since I seem to be committed to blogging until I die… :-)
East Bay, whoot! I also missed out on the conference, due to various and sundry things, but mostly my being broke. However, I’m totally crushing on the idea of a meet-up. East Bay or otherwise, I’m totally in.
Thank you for being so kind and gracious to me when I wandered in, completely unaware of where I was. That was my state for most of the weekend, so I appreciated your awesome hostessing skills. And I was glad I got a chance to see Cecily again and say “WTF!” about a comment at a panel we both attended earlier in the weekend.
I’m also glad I turned up so I could find out about your blog. I’m enjoying the link you posted to the article about science fiction – I’m learning a lot! Lucinda’s review of Wanted is also great, I’m going to link to that post on Heroine Content.
Skye, it was really a treat to meet you; it must have been serendipity! I’ll definitely be reading your blog, and I’m excited about the Heroine Content link!
Hey Monique, I met you at speed dating the first morning. Was lovely to meet you in person. I have this theory that as the BlogHer (or JournalCon – awesome) gets older and older, that a lot of the non-mommy-bloggers become mommies. Radical, no?
Anyway, it was cool to meet you. Keep doing what you’re doing.
It was such a pleasure to meet all of you lovely ladies at the BFD meet up. That 45 minutes was hands-down the highlight of the entire conference for me (and not just because of the mimosas and all of your bodacious racks).
Looking forward to adding all of your fabulous blogs to my reader so that I can keep up with all your various activities, proclivities and tales of derring do. Huzzah!
Heather, it was a pleasure to meet you!
Rosemary, I’m so glad you had a good time, thanks for being the first one to show up, for being the official event photographer, and being so otherwise adorable.
Hey Mo!!! Ok I know i’m late but I just want to say Thanks, to all the incredible adorable ladies that I met at the BFD meetup.
WE are the REAL woman in this world You Girls Rock!!! I wish our time in the meet up was longer but we will have to the meet up hopefully soon!!
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Hi! I met you briefly at BlogHer in SF… Didn’t have an email for you, just wanted to say hello!